184 CHAPTER 19. 



This idea is now known to be a fallacy, no such abstraction of blood 

 from an internal inflamed organ can take place by means of an irritant 

 applied to an external part. The skin is supplied with blood by super- 

 ficial vessels. The internal organs are supplied by deep-seated vessels. 



We cannot act by counter-irritation in the sense in which that expres- 

 sion was understood in former days. But relief may be given, as ex- 

 plained in the preceding paragraph, by gently stimulating the blood- 

 vessels and absorbents of the neighbouring external parts to increased 

 energy. 



376. Artificial inflammation as an excitant to the absorbent system. 



Stimulants are often beneficially applied to newly-formed deposits, 

 with the view of exciting the blood-vessels and absorbents to greater 

 energy in taking up the less solid parts of the new deposit. 



All newly-formed growths , and deposits are derived, as the reader is 

 aware, from material exuded from the blood-vessels of the part affected. 

 Before such exudation can take place, there must necessarily be swelling 

 and congestion of the blood-vessels, or what is usually termed inflamma- 

 tory action. The growth and deposit is at first soft, because the effused 

 material is liquid. In due time the more liquid parts are taken up and 

 carried off by the blood-vessels and absorbents, and then the more solid 

 parts consolidate. 



In the treatment of such cases the first object is to check the increased 

 action of the blood-vessels by giving the animal entire rest and by apply- 

 ing cold bandages, &c. When the excessive inflammatory action is sub- 

 dued, the process of absorption is at first generally pretty rapid. After 

 a time, however, the energy of the part in most cases becomes deficient 

 and the residuum of the deposit begins to consolidate. Stimulants may 

 be useful in such cases in reviving the powers of the blood-vessels, but it 

 must be a rule, that the stimulant be not applied until it is required, or 

 in other words until the powers of nature begin to flag. In most cases 

 stimulants may be safely applied immediately after the parts have be- 

 come thoroughly cool. 



All abnormal growths, however, even without any treatment, have a 

 tendency in time to become absorbed. 



Hence we frequently find the legs of an old horse almost free from the 

 bony deposits, which disfigured them in the days of his youth. 



It will readily be seen, that the application of irritants or stimulants 

 to parts, in which active inflammation is still present, is wholly erro- 

 neous. It is simply adding fuel to an existing flame. 



Many quack remedies are recommended as specifics for the absorption 

 of bony deposits, tumours, and other new growths. No such specific, 

 however, exists. All we can do is to assist nature to take up the deposit 

 or some part of it. 



The advisability or otherwise of attempting to hasten the process of 

 absorption must depend on the ever varying circumstances which sur- 

 round each particular case. It is impossible to lay down any general 



